


Stick Figure

by Rroselavy



Category: Saiyuki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-01
Updated: 2010-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-10 08:34:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rroselavy/pseuds/Rroselavy





	Stick Figure

It was a rudimentary drawing, an untrained child's scrawl made more primitive by its medium - sharp rock scraped over a basalt canvas. Long scratches fanned out from the oval head like the rays of the sun, like the anointed head of a saint. The face had been carved into a perpetual frown, but Goku was comforted by it nonetheless. The tall thin body, arms akimbo, was an afterthought. It is the only thing he can remember -- this willowy presence now cloaked in shadows -- besides his name. And he found it comforting to trace his fingers over and over the lines when the sun slanted through the bars of his prison, penetrating the darkness, stabbing his heart with an exquisite pain.

The days turned to weeks, the weeks to months and then years. Years faded into decades and marched through centuries. Goku lost track of the time he'd spent imprisoned, lost count of how many times he redrew the image, carefully retracing the original markings, after it had become smoothed and obscured from his fingers tracing over the scars.

Sometimes Goku would wonder about the person in it. Did he really exist? (For, even though the figure had long hair, Goku was certain 'it' was a 'he.') Was he someone Goku had known? Was he still alive? Was he lonely too? Was he missing Goku? Was he imprisoned somewhere too, whiling away eternity with only the memory of his name? Or maybe, he'd forgotten his name. Goku thought perhaps that was why he couldn't remember it, either.

Sometimes Goku couldn't bear to look at the drawing; it would remind him of how alone he truly was. Sometimes the figure mocked him, taunted him - it represented something that he'd come to believe he would never know - companionship. But he could never bring himself to scratch out the image or let it fade completely from the wall. Goku thought that if he did -- if the image no longer existed -- then he might cease to exist as well.


End file.
